


The squirrel and his tree

by Mintyxxchuu



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Angst, Best Friends, Hurt Kang Taehyun, Love Confessions, M/M, Metaphors, Oblivious Choi Beomgyu, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:42:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29213622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mintyxxchuu/pseuds/Mintyxxchuu
Summary: Taehyun looks at the trees shedding leaves outside and once again wonders why his own tree won’t bloom a flower for him.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Kang Taehyun
Comments: 14
Kudos: 68





	The squirrel and his tree

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday to Kang Taehyun! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this >.<

  
  


**_He_ ** is a tree.

  
  


He’s the branches that reach out to the sun as if his life depended on it. He’s the roots that steal water from the Earth under it. He’s the falling leaves that cover the ground beneath it when autumn comes to greet it. He’s the home to living creatures like the squirrel.

  
  


And Kang Taehyun is the squirrel.

  
  
  
  


The tree is beautiful, a place he calls home— sheltering him, loving him, protecting him. Taehyun does it all. He had, ever since Choi Beomgyu first approached him in middle school with a radiant smile that could rival the sun and a statement that labeled Taehyun until the present.

_ “You look like a squirrel!”  _

What a ridiculous statement, but his words had attracted Taehyun to make a home in the older boy. 

  
  


But Taehyun had always understood that how could he be compared, a tiny creature finding shelter in his shades, to the pretty flowers that bloom on the branches of his tree?

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ The tree is beautiful today. _

_ The leaves are green and flourishing. _

_ The bark is strong and sturdy as always. _

_ I think i saw a flower blooming somewhere among the green. _

  
  
  


His handwriting scratches gently against the paper in his  _ sacred  _ journal as he looks up to glance at his friend who was too busy staring out of the window of their classroom with a dreamy look in his face.

Choi Beomgyu’s uniform is opened for the first three buttons, revealing his white shirt underneath and though Taehyun’s fingers ache to button them up, he forces them still. Quietly, he drags his eyes over the older boy’s physical features; from the gentle flutter of Beomgyu’s eyelashes as his eyes gleam with a shine Taehyun could never get sick of, to his glossy red lips that Taehyun oftens wonder the taste of.

  
  


Then, Taehyun follows Beomgyu’s gaze which was on the field right outside their class building and Taehyun knows that the flower that had bloomed among his leaves belong to their senior who is part of the soccer team—  _ “Do you think i should shoot my shot and ask out Yeonjun sunbae?” _

  
  


Beomgyu’s melodious voice breaks the silence, his eyes fleetingly looking at Taehyun’s face before they return back to the older.  _ Ah. I knew it.  _ Taehyun thinks but he already knows that the squirrel in him is readying himself for the winter that would surely come. This time, he knows that the tree could not stop his suffering.

  
  


“I think you have a good chance with Yeonjun sunbae if you try, Beomgyu hyung.” Taehyun says honestly because how could Yeonjun deny Beomgyu’s pretty flower? 

Beomgyu hums softly, acknowledging Taehyun’s words as he  _ finally  _ looks at Taehyun. “You think so?” The older boy asks, uncertain and Taehyun nods firmly.

“I know so.” He says simply and Beomgyu nods. He glances at the book in Taehyun’s lap and raises an eyebrow at him. Ever his best friend, Choi Beomgyu—Always concerned over his well being.

  
  


“What happened to the tree now?” He asks, all knowing like usual and Taehyun looks down, gently brushing his fingertips against the paper that held his writing. Then, he looks up to Beomgyu’s face and almost cowers away from the older boy’s intense gaze.

  
  


Softly, Taehyun replies, “it bloomed its first flower today.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


In the end, Beomgyu’s flower wilts when Choi Yeonjun turns him down and the squirrel is left to nurse it back to bloom.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ Seasons change, _

_ But the squirrel still waits. _

  
  
  
  


Another flower blooms in their senior year. This time, it’s for a cute barista working in the cafe near their high school. A routine ingrains in their lives to come to the cafe every Friday after school just so Beomgyu can feed his flower.

And just like this Friday, they’re at their usual seat by the display window and a clear view to the cashier where Beomgyu’s flower is currently working.

  
  


Taehyun puts away his journal and subtly looks over his phone to admire Beomgyu as usual but the older boy is too busy looking at Choi Soobin, the barista to notice him. 

  
  


How cruel is it of fate to make the wind blow in any direction but Taehyun’s? How cruel is it to make Beomgyu look at anyone but him?

  
  
  


“The winter is coming.” Taehyun allows himself to speak, shattering Beomgyu’s day dreaming and the older boy gives him a sheepish smile in return. He watches as Beomgyu picks up his hot chocolate and drinks it.

  
  


“It’s getting colder. You should wear more layers!” Beomgyu chastises, glaring down at the lack of scarf around Taehyun’s neck and the younger boy shrugs nonchalantly.

  
  
  


“I don’t get sick easily, you know this.” Taehyun deadpans and Beomgyu clicks his tongue before he begins to unravel the scarf around his own neck. Taehyun watches silently as Beomgyu leans forward and wrap it around his neck, not bothering to reject it as Beomgyu is stubborn.

  
  


“Still! You  _ can  _ get sick and i don’t need your mom nagging me again for letting you get sick!” Beomgyu scolds and Taehyun resists the urge to roll his eyes at the older but he could not deny the way his chest warms at Beomgyu’s affectionate action.

  
  


Then, the older boy looks away to once again ogle the barista behind the counters. “Should i ask for his number?” Beomgyu ask, almost shyly and changes the topic— the warmth in his chest turns to ice and Taehyun feels cold instead.

  
  


Taehyun really rolls his eyes this time and shrugs. “If you’re willing to get rejected, then go ahead.” He says bluntly and Beomgyu lets out a scandalized gasp.

  
  


“Who is  _ crazy  _ enough to reject  _ the  _ Choi Beomgyu?” His best friend asks rhetorically and Taehyun snorts, a name immediately popping up inside his head but before he could say it, Beomgyu scowls and intervenes. “ _ Do not say his name! _ ” He warns, his mind probably flashing back to a time where he had pinned over the soccer captain, Choi Yeonjun.

  
  


Taehyun chuckles. “I wasn’t going to, i was going to say me.” He lies through his teeth and Beomgyu fake sobs into his hands but the older quickly sobers up to peer at him with a teasing look in his face.

  
  
  


“That’s a lie! We all know you love me, Tyunnie.” Beomgyu says confidently and Taehyun has to force himself to look away with an awkward laugh but fortunately, Beomgyu dismisses his reaction to look back at his barista.

  
  


Taehyun looks at the trees shedding leaves outside and once again wonders why his own tree won’t bloom a flower for him.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


This time, the flower blooms for a long time— Choi Soobin has given Beomgyu his number and agrees to go out with him.

  
  


It lasts the whole winter while the squirrel slumbers but when he awakes, the flower has wilted and he’s once again picking up the pieces.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_ The tree ages with time. _

_ And the squirrel wonders. _

_ He always wonders. _

  
  


_ ‘When will the tree bloom flowers for me?’ _

  
  
  
  
  
  


It’s a waiting game throughout their first year of university— Waiting to see if Beomgyu would bloom another flower among his leaves. Waiting for the squirrel to once again experience winter. But it comes late into the year when finally, Taehyun sees a bud growing on one of the branches.

  
  


And of course, Beomgyu would fall for the sun in Taehyun’s life.

  
  
  
  


They met Huening Kai during orientation day, a tall and ridiculously handsome boy who Beomgyu had approached. Taehyun was a bit apprehensive of the boy, afraid of him stealing Beomgyu away but in the end, they grew close that Taehyun found solace in him. Huening Kai becomes an important person in his life— reminding of the sun and he quickly becomes it.

  
  
  


At first, Taehyun knows Beomgyu only looks at Huening Kai platonically but over time, he begins to notice the lingering glances and the shy blushes whenever their friend would care for him. Taehyun knows this time it’s different— the two times Beomgyu had bloomed a flower had been quick but this time, the bud grows first and slowly it begins to bloom.

  
  


By the time the flower blooms, it’s their second year and his sun is shining so brightly to make it flourish prettily.

  
  


Taehyun knows this time that this flower is permanent and Huening Kai has now become Beomgyu’s sun— he knows from the start that Huening Kai had only shone for Beomgyu and he is the one who had taken advantage of it to bask in the sunlight.

  
  
  


“I like Huening Kai.” Beomgyu admits one night as they stand on his balcony. Taehyun hums, his eyes lingering on the moon and wonders if he should love it instead. At least then, the moon wouldn’t be as lonely as him.

  
  


“I know.” Taehyun says softly and Beomgyu chuckles.

  
  


“I know i can’t hide things from my best friend.” Beomgyu says and Taehyun laughs without humor.  _ Yet, I could hide my feelings from you. Doesn’t that say a lot?  _ Taehyun thinks as he glances at Beomgyu.

  
  


“Do you think Kai likes me?” Beomgyu asks and Taehyun swallows. 

  
  


“Just like how the squirrel likes its tree.” He answers and Beomgyu’s gaze softens when he looks at him. 

  
  


“You never told me the meaning of your writings in that journal of yours.” The older says, changing the topic but Taehyun only shrugs in return.

  
  


“They’re just thoughts.” Taehyun dismisses and Beomgyu tilts his head.

  
  


“ _ Poetic  _ thoughts, aren’t they? They’re very beautiful. The squirrel must have loved the tree so much.” Beomgyu says and Taehyun nods with a fond smile on his face.

  
  


“Oh, it does. It loves its tree a lot.” Taehyun says, feeling a burden leaving him from his indirect confession.

  
  


“Ah, to have a squirrel loving my tree.” Beomgyu jokes and Taehyun looks at him.

  
  


“What’s a squirrel to the sun that’s willing to shine for your tree?” He asks seriously and Beomgyu hums, nodding in agreement.

  
  


“I suppose you’re right.” 

  
  


“Huening Kai is your sun.” Taehyun says, even if it kills him and Beomgyu looks at him in surprise. 

  
  
  


“Are you saying i should confess?” Beomgyu asks and Taehyun nods.

  
  


“Yes. I know he’s the right one for you.”

  
  
  


_ Not me. It will never be me.  _

  
  
  


Beomgyu’s gaze softens and he gently brushes his hand against Taehyun’s arm.

  
  


“Thank you so much for being my squirrel, Taehyun.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


And the squirrel finally leaves his home to chase after the moon.

  
  


But even with his absence, the full picture remains— the sun and the tree, happily in love while the squirrel chases away his shadows.

  
  
  


And hopes that the moon would guide him to a new home.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Leave kudos and comments!
> 
> Follow me on twitter @Miintaexty


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